The Irregular at Beacon Academy
by ShadowsofIrulan
Summary: Bad Relic! When Weiss accidentally activates a mysterious artifact, Beacon Academy receives two new exchange students...
1. Prologue

Beacon Academy, Vale

"Ruby! Ruby? Where _are_ you? I need you to fix something for me!"

A certain white-haired heiress returned to the cavernous room that was Beacon Academy's armory. It was hardly surprising that the premier combat school in the Kingdom of Vale had a workshop rivaling an Atlas military research lab at the students disposal.

What was more surprising, considering the field-stripped sniper scythe lying on a high-tech workbench, was the lack of the owner's hyperactive presence. The proud mother was never known to leave her "baby" unattended. Weiss had more than once had to gently pry the folded weapon from her sleeping partner's grip.

"Ruby Rose! I'm going to get VERY mad if this is some kind of trick! Get out here!"

 _But she was just in here! I leave that girl for five minutes and she vanishes on me..._

Mildly annoyed at her partner's unreliability, Weiss set aside the elaborate case holding her heirloom rapier and took stock of the impressive workshop.

 _Hmmm….She really can use all these tools can't she? I understand the principles of gunsmithing at least...but what is THAT?_

Weiss examined a machine bearing her family crest. Some kind of dust-enhanced fabrication machine...she'd never seen one. Hardly surprising though. For a family whose fortunes were built on modernizing Dust refinement, the Schnee's personal armorer was more of a craftsman than a technician, and looked down on modern "calibrations" or "computerized fabrication" in favor of hand-fitting and field tests.

A strange object on the workbench opposite the abandoned Crescent Rose caught Weiss's attention. She sensed it before she felt it.

It was about the size of a cigar case. Slender and silver, there were no moving parts. So far as she could see, it was just a very ornate paperweight…

But Weiss wasn't looking at it with her _vision._ The object had a very strong presence that could be felt through the same sixth sense that warned Huntresses of incoming danger. That is, this thing, this lifeless box...It projected Aura like a living thing.

Weiss felt a sudden chill. Not a draft into the room (t _hough it was quite cold in here, now that she thought about it..._ ) but a terrifying memory surfacing. She's seen this, once before. That THING, that hollow armor her father had once set against her, testing her determination at the risk of her life. It had a presence like this, the aura of life emanating from cold steel.

Before she could be lost in her thoughts, Ruby returned.

"Hey Weiss! Coooookies!"

By way of explanation she casually slid a plate of still-steaming chocolate chip cookies and a glass bottle of milk down the workbench towards Weiss.

"Uh...thank you? But really Ruby, we are partners...You need to stop running off like that."

"But I was working down here and I got hungry! It's not like I forgot I promised to fix Myrtenaster!"

"Really?" Weiss cocked her head and pouted. "You forgot didn't you."

"Nope!"

Weiss's stance didn't waver

"Sorry…"

"You know what? It doesn't even matter now...while you ran off for a snack, the free period's wasting away. Class is in ten minutes. It's just jamming up. I'll leave this here with you, but promise just to fix it before dueling practise tonight, OK?

"I promise. No flamethrower mods, no magnum-conversions on the dust chambers. I'll just leave it in your locker when I'm done."

"Thanks. But I swear Ruby! If you modify my family heirloom, or damage the engraving, I'll never forgive you."

"You can count on me Weiss! I'll do it before lunch, so just come down and grab it after you eat. But Weiss?"

"Yes Ruby?"

"Why trust me to fix your...priceless family heirloom? Don't you have some fancy butler to do it or something?"

"Not without sending it off to Winter. You said it. I _trust_ you. And I want my partner to know how my weapon works, just in case…"

"In case?"

"Sorry, nothing, I got distracted. Oh jeez, I'm almost late to class. Bye Ruby!" Without giving her partner a chance to respond, Weiss dashed off towards Oobleck's _fascinating_ lecture on the finer points of Atlas's pre-war mining industry.

Neither Weiss in her rush to class, nor Ruby consumed with her meticulous repairs to Myrtenaster's cylinder catch, noticed the faint glow that began to build from the "engraving" of the mysterious object on Professor Port's workbench.

* * *

PLEASE REVIEW. CRITICISM WELCOME


	2. Chapter One

Beacon Academy Armory-

Ruby Rose. Huntress in training, consumer of cookies...and unrepentant gun nut. She'd built her own High Caliber Sniper Scythe before she'd turned sixteen. Dust-enhanced weaponry was her passion. It's fair to say she got on better with people than weapons.

Just not today.

"Stupid mainspring! Just. Go. In. Your. Slot!"

Ruby had Myrtenaster's revolving dust dispenser carefully disassembled. What she hadn't expected was to be greeted by a mechanism more like a fine watch than a gun. It was a beautiful piece...without a doubt the finest craftsmanship she'd ever seen in a weapon. But she'd needed to ditch her screwdriver for jewelers tools, and a five minute spring repair was approaching hour two.

 _There. It's back in! Weiss is gonna be so proud of me!_

Speak of the devil…

INCOMING CALL FROM: WEISS SCHNEE

Ruby snapped her scroll of the workbench.

"Hey, Ruby? You missed lunch. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah yeah Weiss, all fine. I just finished up down here. Why don't you come check it out?"

"I'll be right there." Weiss ended the call and started for the armory.

Ruby was alone in the room...or so she thought. But another malicious presence hid in the shadows.

 _ScANning._

From a long slumber, the heart of an ancient devil began to thaw.

 _ThiS OnE IS NOt CoMPatIBle_

It took stock of it's surroundings, shook away the dust of a millenia spent asleep...

 _AuRa Level InSuFFiciEnt._

 _ConTAiner MISmaTCH._

And discovered it's new prison.

Ruby spun around when she felt it. Somebody entering the room.

"Oh hey Weiss! That was…."

Nobody was there.

Not that she could see at least.

The lights on the cigar case on Port's workbench were now a soft orange.

* * *

Beacon Academy Lecture Hall

"...and with that, students, the Second Battle of Blood Gulch ended in a crushing defeat for Lopez the Heavy! Simply devastating beyond words! And as his army lay in ruins he said..."

Professor Oobleck paused for a moment, searching for the words to end the tangent he'd taken his class on yet again. The end-of-period bell cut him off. "That's all for today class! Remember: there will be a test on Tuesday! Origins of the great war! DO! NOT! BE! LATE!"

The students of Beacon Academy rushed out at the stroke of the hour. Weiss collected her papers but remained behind. She had a few questions of her own, and a suspicion the wily professor might hold some answers.

"Doctor Oobleck! Do you have a few moments?"

"For an inquiring academic mind? Of course! Though it's rare to see you without the red one these days! Skipping class again is she?"

"She's in the armory."

"And I'm in my lecture hall. We all have our places, don't we? Now what did you want to know?" Oobleck downed another cup of coffee.

 _You know, I've never seen him fill those up…hmm_

"I had some questions about aura. And creatures of Grimm." Weiss wasn't quite sure how to approach her question. Grimm with aura...living suits of armor...it sounded like a fairytale. She's wouldn't believe it herself if she hadn't fought one.

"That's more Port's area, but I'll tell you what I can."

"Ok. Then what do you know about possession-type Grimm?" Weiss had no idea the magnitude of what she's just asked.

"Hush! Where did you even hear that term!? That's nothing a student-even an honor student like yourself-should know about!"

"I fought one. At least I suspect I did. That's what gave me this scar." Weiss traced the dueling scar that marred her otherwise flawless beauty.

Oobleck drew close to Weiss, his voice now a harsh whisper. "I'll have to clear it with Ozpin, but if he's OK with it...I think I can answer some questions. No promises."

* * *

First National Magic University Affiliated High School

It was December 2095, and for the first time in nearly a month the Shiba siblings could rest easy in their well-appointed apartment. Tatsuya had neither duties in his guises as Taurus Silver nor Special Lieutenant Ooguro Ryuuya to attend to this Sunday, which left him free to spoil his precious Miyuki.

Though modern home automation could handle any household duties, Miyuki still took it upon herself to prepare her brother a fresh meal in the French style. To complete the theme she somehow procured a dress in the style of a French Maid of the previous century...though Tatsuya appreciated the touch, he couldn't help but think perhaps his cute sister had mixed the roles of Maid and Chef...though in light of her present cheerful mood, he knew better than to bring such mistakes up.

Tatsuya couldn't understand why Miyuki wouldn't just make reservations in Tokyo if she wanted a french meal, though he suspected he'd missed the point.

Miyuki disappeared into the kitchen again, carrying a silver serving tray.

She came back with a disappointed look on her face.

"Oniisama, there is a call waiting for you. It's from FLT."

"Tell them I'll take it on my private terminal."

"Oniisama, can't it wait? I've almost finished the meal!"

"Miyuki, I'll only be a minute. I'm eager to sample your cooking. I have no doubt it will be superlative." Saying such things with no consideration of shame, Tatsuya patted her head from behind. She was glad she faced away from him, or else Tatsuya might have noticed the sudden flush of color that took to her face.

He went downstairs to the research lab that served as his basement.

Turning on the wall-mounted terminal, the face of lead researcher at Four Leaves Technology, the man whose work on the Loop Cast System had revolutionized modern systematic magic, resolved into view. Ushiyama, the head of FLT 3rd Division.

"Mr Taurus. To what do i owe the honor?" Tatsuya so greeted Ushiyama

"Mr. Silver! You're far too formal." Ushiyama maintained their official nicknames as always, in case the call was monitored.

"I'm about to have dinner with Miyuki upstairs so please, make this quick."

"Yes. yes. It's about an artefact. Lady Maya had it delivered yesterday."

"So? You need me to analyze it?"

"No, we're fine here, but Tatsuya...it's singing."

"Singing?"

"Just listen."

Ushiyama held up a small silver box, not much larger than a cigar case. It appeared to be a high-end CAD-but with no visible controls. A faint lyrics came from inside.

 _They see you as small and helpless./ they see you as just a child …._

"There's no record of that melody anywhere. We've checked. It's almost as if…"

"Once I put Miyuki to bed I'm heading over. If that's what I think it is…."

"Then we need to destroy it ASAP. All right, I'll let the staff know to expect you."

* * *

PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW. CRITICISM WELCOME


	3. Chapter Two

Beacon Academy

Professor Port strolled into Beacon Academy's Botanical Gardens ten minutes late. With a hearty laugh he eyed the students who'd turned up for tonight's event: The semester's first "Supervised Unranked Sparring Session", or as the students who frequented it often joked, fight club.

"Hmmm. Ms. Schnee, Ms. Rose hasn't taken ill has she? I understand she missed History class today, and now sparring practice. It's not like her…" Port looked genuinely concerned.

"No Professor. She might be with her sister? I haven't spoken to her since lunch, but she was just fine earlier."

"Oh. Well I'll give her a few more minutes, but I'm afraid we'll have to begin soon. It's a shame, that magnificent scythe of hers is always a treat to observe! Ho! I remember the time I tried using a scythe! I was just a young man…." Whether anyone was listening or not, it didn't matter. Port was telling stories again, and it'd take a Grimm Invasion to even make him pause.

Huntsman Academy students faced each other often enough in practical skills classes, and team-on-team showdowns were frequent training for the Vytal Festival Tournament, where the best teams of each Academy vied to win glory for their academy and their team. The official sparring rankings, maintained by each school and honored with yearly ceremonies, were a matter of great pride for any combat-oriented Huntsman.

These official matches of skill had a few downsides as training though. Any ranked fight at Beacon had to have an equal number of fighters on each side, on even ground with no obstacles or obstructions. Typically Professor Port's classroom was used for this. These battles were tests of skill, but had little relation to real-world combat where things rarely began so evenly.

The faculty's solution was to host these weekly matches. The students got to use all sorts of unique spots around campus, from staircases to rooftops. They could fight anyone willing to accept, on any conditions, so long as they respected aura count and common sense. No intentional bloodshed or injury was allowed either. Fighting unarmed or with no dust reserves were quite popular as ways to practice real-world combat.

"Students! Who would like to fight first?" Standing under a vine-wrapped stone arch, Port started the evening's practice.

Weiss raised her hand, and there was definitely a devious glint in her eye.

"I would like to challenge Pyrrha Nikos to single combat, with dust or semblance usage restricted. Would the Warrior Maiden of Mistral humbly accept? " Weiss rose to her feet from the garden wall she'd been perched on. Flourishing her sword, she bowed towards Pyrrha.

Her medieval Atlesian performance left the assembled students at a loss for words. Nobody here had seen Weiss in a duel before. The opinion of the onlookers was split between those who felt the cocky heiress was mocking them by refusing to take this match seriously, and those scared she might be taking this far _too_ seriously.

It seemed only Pyrrah was in on the joke. Stifling a laugh at a line ripped straight from one of Ruby's fairytales— _So perhaps she reads those too?—_ Pyrrha played right along.

"Ahahaha, but of course, Lady Schnee of Atlas! If you wish to challenge me, I shall meet thee with honor upon this field!"

Professor Port directed the dozen observing students to a gazebo from which they could watch the duel. The older students chose their favorites as the Heiress and the reigning Mistral Regional champion stepped into the fighting ring.

Turning to Wiess and Pyrrah, Port explained the rules:

"Combat is a simulated duel. Victory will go to the first person to drop their opponent's aura by 25%.

There will be no dust usage. Pyrrha may not use her rifle, nor may Weiss use her glyphs.

There will be no semblance usage. Do you understand these rules?"

"Yes sir!" Weiss and Pyrrah nodded in unison.

"Very well. You may begin when ready."

Standing a few yards apart, the two warriors began their dance.

Weiss wielded a rapier, Myrtenaster. In skilled hands the rapier's point could take a life in a single fierce thrust. It was a duelist's weapon with a deceptively long reach. If it had a weakness, it was the blade itself—more of a spike, it sacrificed a cutting edge for a diamond cross-section that left jagged, difficult to heal wounds.

Pyrrah stood with a light shield Akouo and her weapon Milo. A transforming weapon that could go from rifle to short sword to javelin, it made Pyrrah capable in all ranges of combat. She began the fight with Milo as a short sword, her shield up.

Cautiously they circled each other. Weiss struck first. Seeing an opening in Pyrrha's footwork, Weiss burst from a low guard into a high angled strike. Even without dust enhancement, she moved with incredible speed. Pyrrha's reflexes saved her from a blow that could have ended the fight instantly, but left her off balance. Sweeping her sword to make space, she forced Weiss to evade and punished that sidestep with a savage bash from her shield.

Without the help of her inertia-canceling glyphs, Weiss managed to recover and turn her stumble into a backflip, as Milo's blade slashed inches from her face. A flick of her rapier deflected Pyrrha's next blow as well, but she was on the defensive now.

Pyrrha seized her opening. Covering the ground between them in two steps, she thrust Milo, now a javelin, towards Weiss's throat. The rapier flashed up, deflecting the thrust with perfect timing. Off balance now, Pyrrha earned a thrust to the side for her miscalculation.

 _She's faster than I expected…and I can't read where she's about to strike from. If I keep just reacting to her moves, I'll lose to her…_

Pyrrha underestimated Weiss. Even without her glyphs, Weiss's reaction times were incredible. And her style defied the traditions of rapier dueling. She maintained enough control to make slashes by using the tip of the blade itself. In made her dangerously unpredictable.

The crowed grew silent as the watched the girls parry and dodge around the fight circle. The fight had become a blade dance, neither leaving an opening for any serious damage. Each anticipated the others strikes, counter thrusting and parrying almost instinctively as they tried to exploit an opening.

 _I bet she won't expect this!_

Suddenly, Weiss lunged straight at Pyrrha's exposed chest. Bringing her shield to bear in a flash saved her from a knockout, but the hit knocked the shield from Pyrrha's hands. With her semblance restricted, there was no way to recover it in battle without exposing herself to another of Weiss's attacks.

Instead of drawing back for another thrust as Pyrrha expected, the Ice Queen of Beacon Academy just bludgeoned Pyrrah's head with her rapier's finned hilt, leaving her momentarily stunned.

Before Pyrrha could recover, Weiss was already in position beside her for the "killing" blow. Like a shark on the scent of blood, she knew this was her chance to end the match.

Just as she poised to lunge…

An unexpected voice burst from her scroll on an emergency line.

"Help, please! I've…I've been attacked!" Sounding week and feeble, it was none other than Ruby Rose, RWBY's team leader and absentee sparring partner.

"Stop the match!" Weiss called out instantly.

Pyrrah snatched her shield and rolled to her feet.

"Ruby, I'm coming. Where are you? Are you hurt?" Weiss put her on speaker to save time explaining the situation.

"I was attacked by…by a ghost. It ambushed me in the armory. I don't think I'm injured, but my Aura is really low."

"Ok, Ruby. I'm on my way." Weiss shared a knowing look with Professor Port.

"Ghost hmmm? So are they giving the White Fang thermo-optic camouflage now…" The old man had the look in his eye of a hunter scoping his prey.

"Are you implying what I think you are? How dare you! After all my family has suffered…" said Weiss, bitterly.

"No, I wasn't talking about Jacques little side business. Weiss, meet up with your teammates and get Ruby to the infirmary. I'm going to raise an alert in case our "ghost" returns. Team JNPR, head for the dining hall. Glynda should meet you there." Port turned to the crowd behind him. "Everyone else back to your dorms. This school is now on lockdown!"

* * *

THANKS FOR READING! Please leave a review!


	4. Chapter Three

**Shiba Residence**

 **Tokyo, Japan**

"Onii-sama, dinner is ready!" The younger Shiba sibling stood in the doorway to her elder brother's basement R&D lab. She still wore the dress, styled like a conservative French Maid, that she'd worn to prepare dinner.

"You were listening in on my conversation?" Tatsuya asked without turning, though he could already assume the answer. In his role as her Guardian, he kept her within his "sight" at all times, and she'd spent the past five minutes with her ear against the door to this room.

Miyuki was instantly repentant. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make Onii-sama think I mistrust him!"

"No, I didn't think that at all. You worked hard to prepare an exquisite dinner for us, so thank you. But Miyuki, what have I told you about wasteful use of magic?"

"Huh?" Miyuki pretended like she didn't understand.

"Your apron. You used restorative magic to clean it, rather than just changing. Without even thinking you invoked an activation sequence that most magicians aren't even capable of. If you get into the habit of so casually using your power, you will raise questions about our identities in public."

Miyuki crossed her arms. "There was nothing wasteful about it! I went out of my way to procure this dress just for tonight, so I could give Onii-sama a special reward for his hard work recently! And besides, nobody will notice what we do in the privacy of our apartment. Why should I care what other people might think here?!"

Before Miyuki could realize the danger in that line of thought, Tatsuya spoke up. "Stubbornly cute, as always. Thank you Miyuki. You look lovely tonight. Please, lead the way to dinner."

Whether Tatsuya knowingly teased her or was cruelly oblivious, his words set Miyuki blushing furiously as he followed her to the western-style dining room. There they feasted on _bouchée à la reine_ as appetizers, before Miyuki brought out an entree of expertly braised _coq au vin ._ In the French spirit (and in violation of a municipal ordinance) the siblings split a bottle of Bourgogne 2049 Tatsuya had acquired from a grateful French client of Four Leaves Technology.

Dinner was quiet with many sweet glances and soft words exchanged. For a little while, Miyuki and Tatsuya were able to enjoy a taste of life as an affluent young couple. At the table they were no longer the Yotsuba family successor and her guardian. Not magician and soldier, nor brother and sister; they were just happy to be with each other. Even if it was but a fantasy, Tatsuya and Miyuki cherished those precious moments, and buried for a while the pain of knowing their blissful arrangement could never last.

After dinner, Tatsuta retired to the sitting room while Miyuki cleared the table and made coffee. She also changed; when she returned with two cups of coffee, her maid's dress was gone, replaced by casual clothes for the evening's planned excursion.

"Onii-sama, what is so important about this artifact Ushiyama has acquired that you can't wait until morning to visit the research lab?"

"Miyuki, are you aware of the theory behind sorcery boosters?"

"Are you referring to those infernal devices used by the terrorists who assaulted Yokohama?"

"Yes,"

"Don't tell me you're experimenting with them too!? Even for the Yotsuba, that's too much..."

"No, even our aunt wouldn't approve of devices that turn magicians into equipment. I only asked if you understand the theory behind their operation. There is a possibility this artifact is a synthetic Sorcery Booster."

"Honestly Onii-sama, I found them too horrific to study in depth."

"I understand. Then, I will spare you the explanation. The thing we are looking at tonight might be capable of strengthening magic sequences. A magic capacitor, if you'll accept a comparison to electrical physics."

"I understand. Such a part adapted to CADs would be revolutionary. But you said might be? Had it not been tested yet?" Miyuki frowned at the thought of her brother's gift, the unique magic Elemental Sight, being used for menial research.

"The case is resistant to conventional analysis. I would leave it in ushiyama's capable hands, but there was a small complication…"

"You mean the singing? That implies some sort of intelligence, correct?"

"Right, Miyuki. It might not be a sorcery booster at all. All I'm going to do is confirm if it is synthetic or not. If it uses a magician's brain as a mechanical part, I'll decompose it and that will be the end of things. Otherwise, the lab can handle it on their own."

"I understand. One last question, will _that woman_ be there?"

Tatsuya just shook his head in reply. He parsed _that woman_ as their father's new wife and their stepmother, Sayuri. Though neither sibling (nor the Yotsuba clan) had intentions of seeing her as anything more than Tatsurou Shiba's mistress.

* * *

Beacon Academy

Weiss Schnee charged through the doors of the Beacon Armory, her rapier raised and ready to strike.

"Ruby?" Weiss called out for her partner.

"I'm over here!" The response came from a darkened corner of the room. Cautious of an ambush, Weiss cast an illuminating dust glyph. Ruby was sprawled across the remains of a smashed bookshelf.

"Don't move! I'm coming to you." Weiss stepped across the wreckage of the armory. Ruby had put up a hell of a fight, for sure. Scorchmarks and gashes marked the path Ruby's scythe had cut through the room as she faced a "ghost".

"Weiss, I'm fine! Don't worry!" Ruby tried to sound cheerful.

The heiress checked her scroll, "I'd be more inclined to believe you if your Aura wasn't in the red. It's amazing you're still conscious!"

"Nah, Uncle Crow's training was way tougher than this! I just need some milk and a good nap. It's gone, whatever it was. We're safe for now."

Ignoring the implications about team leader's family life, Weiss kneeled by her side. "What did this to you?"

"Like I said, it was a ghost!"

"You mean an attacker you couldn't see?"

"No, I saw it. But it wasn't THERE, you know? All floaty and ghosty and stuff. Like when I hit it, crescent rose went right through it! But if it touched me, it just started draining my aura. I think I wounded it though, because I shot it with dust rounds and it shrieked and left the room."

"Ruby, let me get this straight. You saw a...floating apparition, it attacked you and drained your aura, and it left when you fired dust-infused rounds at it? Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Weiss picked the rubble from Ruby's hair as she talked.

"I already said I'm fine! But I just remembered something! It stole that silver thing on Professor Port's workbench!"

Weiss suddenly remembered her misgivings from earlier. "That thing!? Ruby, I'm so sorry. I had a bad feeling about that earlier but I didn't say anything. I'm sure that thing is related to our mysterious ghost. Let's get you back to the room so you can rest."

"I said I'm fine! Let's go ghost hunting!" Ruby's stubborn streak lasted all of a second. She made it about three steps forward before she collapsed from exhaustion.

"You dunce! What in the world is wrong with you? Are you trying to make me worried?" With that, Weiss scooped Ruby up in her arms and started walking towards the student dorm block.

* * *

 **Four Leaves Technology**

 **Tokyo, Japan**

The fifteen minute ride from the sibling's apartment to FLT's research lab was uneventful.

The guards at the front entrance were already expecting Tatsuta, and recognized Miyuki on sight. They opened the gates with a smart salute and waved Tatsuya through.

Ushiyama showed them to the examination room where the artifact was being held. An array of psion detectors, cameras, and imaging devices were pointed at the small silver box, but they revealed nothing

The device itself was ornately engraved with unknown symbols. Several blue lights dimly glowed around the edge of the case.

Tatsuta suspected the scrollwork related to ancient magic, but they matched nothing in the records. He made a mental note to show his classmate Mikihiko a sketch and get his opinion as an ancient magic user.

"Miyuki, I'm not comfortable with this thing, whatever it is. Not even military hardware is so well shielded. Stay behind me and ready your CAD." Tatsuta had sense of danger not worth ignoring.

"Synthetic or not, a sorcery booster is based on the neurons of a magician, correct Onii-sama? Then might my magic Cocytus be an effective way to deactivate it without destroying the thing?"

"Perhaps, Miyuki. But that would require removing your seals on my power. In this situation, I don't believe that's appropriate."

"Onii-sama, if it's for you I will take full responsibility. My powers are yours to command,"

"Miyuki, please don't talk like that here. I wouldn't want Ushiyama here to get the wrong idea from your jokes."

"Of course Onii-sama. I will be more discreet."

For his part, Ushiyama glanced awkwardly away, filled with a sense of seeing _what should not be seen._

As Tatsuya prepared to use his Elemental Sight, a magic sequence formed above the box for a second, shattering before it could activate.

 _ **FuNCTionalITY BeYOnd acCepTable PaRAMeterS**_

"What's this, Ushiyama? Has it ever done that before?" Tatsuya addressed his lab partner and lead researcher Ushiyama, the other half of the legendary engineer Taurus Silver.

"No! It must be reacting to you and Miyuki. What kind of sequence was it?"

"Even I can't read a sequence that hasn't finished, but from what I saw, it's something similar to restoration."

"So it's trying to repair itself?"

"So it would appear. I don't like this..."

 _ **THrEaT DeteCTeD**_

 _ **EnEMy TyPE: HuNTsMan CLasS**_

The lights that were once pale blue now blazed red.

Tatsuya jumped back as four new magical sequences appeared. He recognized each one as an archaic form of Rupture - an A ranked lethal spell. Without hesitation he erased them with Gram Demolition. A bullet of unformed magic blew away the lethal attacks as they formed.

The siblings instantly reclassified this mysterious box as a threat. For the time being, the impossibility of a machine using magic didn't matter.

Miyuki unleashed a devastating Inferno spell that froze one side of the lab as the other burst into flame.

Tatsuya switched magazines in his favored pistol-shaped silver CAD and fired Decomposition twice at the box...except nothing happened.

It took Tatsuya a whole second to overcome his shock. Upon closer inspection a tiny hole appeared in the case. Somehow the construction of it made it appear as many thousands of small objects to Tatsuya-and his upper targeting limit was 25 independent bodies.

 _ **ReEvAluAtIng ThREaT**_

 _ **EnEMY TyPE : maiDeN ClaSS**_

 _ **proTOcol FoUr aCtIoNAble**_

Locked in the control booth, Ushiyama felt like he was witnessing a battle between gods and demons.

Tatsuya and Miyuki clung to each other. With his free hand, Tatsuya fired Gram Demolition. It was a race to crush the enemy's magic once and for all. Miyuki worked furiously at her CAD, preparing a magic that could freeze the very soul of the thing it hit.

Tatsuya was fast, but even he couldn't overcome the endless stream of offensive magic from the hostile device. An enemy sequence completed and struck his chest, erupting in a spray of blood and charred bone. Even as his regrowth healed the wound, something snapped in Miyuki. With an animal's yell she unleashed a forbidden magic-Cocytus.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Just as Miyuki began to weep at the horror she'd just witnessed, comprehending for the first time what trauma Tatsuya carried from that day she'd died in Okinawa...

An old demon's last trick played out. A magic sequence appeared beneath Miyuki and Tatsuya. In the instant before even he could react, there was a brilliant burst of light, than nothing.

The world around the siblings dissolved into light.


	5. Chapter Four

With a barely-conscious Ruby cradled in her arms, Weiss made her way towards Beacon Academy's infirmary. With the school on lockdown, the campus was deserted except for General Ironwood's personal security detachment, now pulling double duty to sweep the campus for Ruby's attacker.

It was some distance from the central gothic castle that was Beacon Academy and the outlying buildings like the armory. Weiss's arms grew tired. Ruby wasn't that heavy, but still…

 _Damn it, Yang was right. I DO need to spend more time in the gym..._

Ruby suddenly jolted conscious, and cried out in pain. The adrenaline of combat had finally worn off. An alarm on her scroll started wailing…

Weiss paused to check it. The list of injuries it read out was almost impressive. Multiple fractures. Internal bleeding. A collapsed lung. Her heart was a-fib and her blood pressure dangerously high.. Aura's shielding kept her from being skewered or roasted by whatever had attacked her, but it didn't do a thing to cancel out the kinetic force of the assault.

Normally Aura would be able to heal wounds nearly as they happened, and with a shudder Weiss realized Ruby must have been nearly dead when she called for help.

"Ruby, you dunce! How were you even standing back there?" Weiss muttered to herself.

Ruby's Aura was keeping her alive - barely- but Weiss knew she wouldn't make it to the infirmary this way. Even as she checked the scroll, the numbers ticked away...9% and dropping. She had a minute or two left before he healing factor stopped entirely.

Weiss had heard of Aura transfers before, from her classmate Pyrrha Nikos. Apparently a small transfer could be used to "unlock" a person's aura, allowing them to manipulate it like a Huntress for defence and healing.

And as a Schnee she was aware of some truly horrifying experiments with full-aura transfers on captive Faunus during the Great War. Though as far as she knew they were failures.

 _Winter would kill me if she knew I was even THINKING about this…_

But in her heart the Schnee heiress knew there was but one way to keep Ruby alive until her Aura recovered naturally.

 _I could use a glyph, probably, to channel my Aura...but I don't know anything like that. Really, of all the times I focused on developing my combat skills, why'd I never thing of support glyphs? Well I guess I'll just focus my aura on her heart. It's worth a try!_

Placing her hand on Ruby's chest, Weiss focused her aura, mentally picturing "protecting" Ruby just as she did on herself in combat.

For a second, Weiss watched in amazement as a warm glow from her fingertips began to flow. But just as Ruby's aura started to climb, Weiss stopped the transfer.

It return for raising Ruby's aura 1%, Weiss's aura had fallen by 20%. To continue would be suicide.

Weiss realized what that golden glow was-wasted aura, dispersing as visible light. Ruby's body was resisting the invasion of Weiss's lifeforce.

 _Wait! Nikos, she used an invocation! But I still need a more efficient transfer method._

A thought of classic fairytales-of the sleeping princess awakened by…

 _Gah! I can't do THAT! I mean I wouldn't mind, but just as a concerned friend! WAIT, am I seriously considering kissing Ruby?_

A clinically cold beep.

Aura Depleted

 _Fine! I'll do it! But it's NOT because I like her like that...Oh who am I kidding?_

Recalling the words Pyrrha had taught her, Weiss began.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release my soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee!"

With cheeks of scarlet red, Weiss leaned down and kissed the girl she cradled in her arms. Embracing the silver-eyed girl, even as her aura drained lower. Holding the kiss until Ruby's aura was in the green again.

She was still unconscious-but her vitals were stable.

Or at least that's what Weiss thought. The silver-eyed girl, with a devious smile allowed her "prince" to keep her dignity a little while longer despite such a shameless act of gallantry.

 _My hero..._

As Weiss crossed the central courtyard, past the statues at the entrance to Beacon's reception hall, a silver light enveloped everything in sight. She leaped backwards as a massive geometric glyph enveloped the courtyard. Setting Ruby aside, she drew her Myrtenaster and chamber golden dust.

"No! It's back!" Ruby screamed, suddenly very much awake and reaching for a scythe that wasn't there. The last time she'd seen this, that THING had appeared!

From within the glyph, a single scream belowed. "Miiiiyuuukiiiiii!"

"Ruby! Stay behind me!"

From a pillar of light, a young man in a white and blue uniform stepped forward, seemingly from thin air. In his hand, a large silver pistol. And in his narrowed eyes there was nothing but killing intent.

Raising it towards Weiss, he walked menacingly forward, gun raised. In a heavily accented but flawless tongue the young man spoke, "What have you done with my sister?!"

* * *

Thanks for reading! I've been busy with school, so this took a backburner.

For anyone wondering why Tatsuya can speak English, I was thinking back to the anime when he mentions reading new European research on magic. I think it's fair to assume he and Miyuki know a European language for studying magic.


End file.
